


the only thing that haunts this house is me

by agentmmayy



Series: promptober [5]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Haunted Houses, Season/Series 02, may is a little shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-13 16:57:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21001061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentmmayy/pseuds/agentmmayy
Summary: Under the cover of a training exercise, May brings Skye to a haunted house where boards creak, shadows appear, and an extra scare or two is given.





	the only thing that haunts this house is me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [26stars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/26stars/gifts).

> for Aubrey who has given me so many wonderful gifts it's about time I gave her one back <3 you didn't prompt this but i hope you enjoy it, s2 mayskye just for you! :)

“Why are we here?”

“As an agent, you’ll need to learn to work in all environments under their circumstances.”

Skye made an affronted noise. “When am I ever going to be in a  _ haunted house _ ?” 

“You never know,” May replied. “That’s why we’re preparing.”

“Couldn’t we have just decorated the Playground?” Skye asked, shivering as she wrapped her arms tighter around herself through her Shield issued winter jacket. Her breath puffed up white against the dark night sky. “It’s so cold.”

Snow crunched beneath their boots. The last time they trudged through any like this was in Canada nearly seven months ago though the amount of snow was much less here. It had come extremely early this year on the tail end of October, bringing in frigid weather with it. It was fine during the day when the sun was out but late at night... May tucked her gloved hands further in her pockets. 

“It’ll be warmer inside.”

May continued walking, Skye not even two inches behind her. They’d parked a few blocks away where May made Skye go through a mapping exercise to warm her up both mentally and physically. Skye found her way back to the SUV relatively quickly, but going back from the house wouldn’t be as easy. May took every turn and “short-cut” down any alley she could think of, having scoped the area out a few days prior. The neighborhood was quiet with abandon. They couldn’t walk through a populated one and flash their Shield badges at any questions. This part of town was out of reach, secluded from both police and gang-related activity, which bode well for them. They wouldn’t be disturbed. The only foreseeable disturbance May anticipated was a bunch of teenagers seeking a late-night thrill, which would be unlikely given the weather. 

The closer they got to the house, the more Skye fidgeted. That was another thing they needed to work on. While Skye had gotten good at weaponry, navigation, hand to hand combat, and even survival skills, she still kept her heart on her sleeve. It was natural to be afraid of a haunted house, but May could practically feel Skye’s fear radiating off her. 

“Are ghosts even real?” she asked before May could say anything. “I remember Tobias, but that almost seems like something only we’d experience, y’ know? He wasn’t really a ghost.” Skye paused, casting a glance to May. “Right?”

“He was,” May said. She’d almost forgotten about Tobias, the man trapped between two realms unwilling to let the girl go. That seemed like years rather than months ago.

“Have you seen one before him?”

May thought back to being with Phil in Louisiana foolishly creeping through a cemetery. “Yes.”

“Really?” Intrigue colored Skye’s voice more than fear now. 

“It was a long time ago. You haven’t had any encounters before Tobias?”

Skye scoffed. “I grew up in a Catholic orphanage. The only spirit I’ve been around before him is the holy spirit.”

Within a few more minutes, they reached the house. It stood on a vacant lot surrounded by nothing except undisturbed snow. If that wasn’t ominous enough, it was two stories tall with old, rotted wood panel falling off the sides and back porch steps that creaked even without extra weight. May opened the back door since the front was bolted shut. She waited for Skye to step through first, but when the girl only rocked on her heels, May rolled her eyes and went inside. 

Though the house was widely known among locals, it wasn’t a tourist attraction yet, so it wasn’t tacky with decoration or crawling with actors in costumes like most haunted houses. It also wasn’t much warmer inside the house with the lack of electricity, but it was better than nothing. May brought out two flashlights, handing one to Skye. Outside, the full moon was enough to see by, but in the house with boarded-up windows, hardly any light streamed in. 

Skye immediately clicked her flashlight on but didn’t move from where her shoulder pressed to May’s. She shone it around the room, illuminating the dusty furniture, dark corners, and paint peeling off the walls.

“Creepy.”

“What did you expect?”

“Not any freshly baked cookies or swanky décor, that’s for sure,” she said, grimacing at a large cobweb. “Have you been here before?”

May gave her a look as if she couldn’t believe Skye asked her that question. 

“I’m just asking so I’ll know if this place is booby-trapped or not.”

“Any scares you get tonight will be from the house, not me.”

Skye swallowed. “Thanks.” The beam from the flashlight wobbled as her hands shook. 

“Hey.” May turned to her, voice noticeably softer than before. She brought her light up, not too close to shining in their eyes but close enough that she could see Skye’s face in the dimmer beam. The girl was paler than cold weather usually made her. Beneath her bangs, Skye’s eyes were wide with fright. “What’s got you so scared?”

“Other than the fact that we’re in a haunted house, and I’ve already heard a creepy, unidentifiable noise?” She gave an uneasy laugh. “I can’t- “ Skye bit her lip. “I can’t punch or shoot a ghost. I’m practically defenseless."

So that was it. “They can’t hurt you,” May assured her. “They can scare you, but they can’t hurt you.” Unlike Tobias, the spirits in the house didn’t have the ability to throw cars or explode gas tanks much less harm either of them. “Alright?”

Skye nodded, gaining some comfort. May placed a hand on Skye’s arm, squeezing through the layers. May doubted anything would happen. Skye could handle herself, and if not, May would be there. She allowed them that brief moment before getting back to business. 

“We’ll split up and sweep the downstairs first, then regroup and head to the second floor.”

Skye nodded again, slipping into the ‘agent’ mode they worked so hard to create over the past few months. Then she paused. “Wait. Split up?”

Wordlessly, May shined her flashlight in front of herself and walked into the kitchen. Skye stood rooted to the spot for a second before swallowing and moving into the living room. It was an older home, so all of the rooms were separated by walls. May thought she caught a glimpse of a silhouette in the microwave screen but ignored it. 

A strange rattling went through the other side of the house. Skye gasped. “What was that?!”

“It’s just the wind.”

A beat of silence. Most likely Skye calming her racing heart. “Are you sure?”

May rolled her eyes. “Yes.” 

It seemed through her fear, Skye still remembered most of her training. Not all of it since May could hear her moving around- though that was likely from the creaky floors and her clunky boots than her light-footedness. May kept her feet light, avoiding the squeaky boards she memorized her first time visiting. There was a carpet in the front hallway that further deafened her footfalls. She lingered there for a moment, shining her light on pictures that still hung on the walls. The glass and frames were broken. Behind May, there came a muffled yet distinct tapping noise on the other side of the wall. Though May’s own words from earlier echoed in her mind, she couldn’t help but tense her shoulders in preparation to fight. 

Skye’s voice echoed in the house. “May?”

The tapping stopped. May cleared her throat, relaxed her muscles. “Listen for my footsteps, Skye. You need to know where I am without talking to me.”

With the toe of her boot, she nudged a loose floorboard. The squeak reverberated. “Hallway?”

“Very good.”

May moved further down the hallway, taking in a breath before peeking into the next room. It was another family room with an empty fireplace and more broken furniture. Only the energy to the room was off. May backed out without entering. “All clear in the vestibule.”

“All clear in the dining room.” Skye’s voice was closer this time. May made her way to the bottom of the stairs across from the living room. Skye appeared a moment later, looking calmer than before, but May could see how white her knuckles were around her flashlight. She gave May a smile that clearly said  _ I’m really trying to keep it together _ . “That wasn’t so bad.”

May elected not to tell Skye about the silhouette or tapping in the hallway. She tilted her chin toward the stairs. “There’s more activity upstairs.”

Skye’s smile turned to a wince. “Great.”

Taking a little mercy on her, May went first. She ascended the rickety stairs as she would on any op, feet light, shoulders tense, and flashlight set in front of her. The only thing missing was the presence of an icer in her hand, but the weight of one tucked in the back of her jeans sufficed. Skye copied her stance and movements though hers were more exploratory than defensive. She shone her light on the stairs.

“Is that a dead  _ bat? _ ”

“Skye, focus.”

The first room they checked was a bathroom located right off the stairs. It was tiny. May noticed Skye refuse to bring her gaze anywhere near the mirror above the sink. Once May peeked behind the rotting shower curtain, they headed to the bedroom on the same side. The door was ajar. Melinda toed it open. 

Skye froze as they entered. “Did you hear that?”

May hadn’t heard anything, but she sure did feel something. The temperature in the bedroom was colder than the rest of the house, almost as cold as outside. When she directed her flashlight around the room, nothing initially caught her eye. The bedroom was set up typically with a bed, dresser, desk, and rocking chair placed in the corner of the room. As May’s eyes landed on it, it rocked as if someone abruptly stood from sitting. 

“Ask if anyone’s here,” she said, tearing her eyes from the chair to Skye, who thankfully hadn’t seen it. “You need to be sure no one else is in the house with you.”

“It’s a  _ ghost! _ ”

“Just do it, Skye.”

She sighed. When she gathered her wits, Skye asked, albeit shaky, “Is anyone here?”

A trinket on the dresser moved. Skye jumped. 

“Control yourself,” May said through a dry mouth. “Ask again. This time say your name.”

“I-is anyone there? My name is Skye. Can you tell me yours?”

What sounded like a whisper came from just a few feet away from them, causing the hairs on the back of May’s neck to stand. Before she or Skye could process it, a low, chilling wail came from the other side of the house, somewhere on the second floor. It didn’t last very long, but the second it landed on May’s ears, she knew what she had to do even if it meant breaking her word. She was behind Skye. It was all too easy to dart up behind her and dig her fingers into the younger woman’s sides. She couldn’t resist and whispered a sharp, “ _ Boo _ .”

Skye’s scream rattled the loose boards. 

May had trouble stifling her laughter. She managed to compose herself by the time Skye whirled around to face her bit still had to bite her lip in an effort to keep more giggles from escaping. 

“May!” Skye exclaimed, astonishment, and anger slowly overtaking fear. “Are you serious?!” She asked, furious. “Why would you do that?!”

“You need to learn how to handle jump scares.”

Skye’s face morphed from anger to shock then back to anger. She turned to leave the room. “I’m done!”

May held out Skye’s icer she snuck from her waistband when she scared her. “You might need this.”

With an annoyed huff, Skye snatched it from her hands and left. May didn’t immediately follow her out, giving Skye time to cool down though she did move out of the scary bedroom. The house shuddered as the back door slammed then fell quiet. May waited for a full thirty seconds before leaving the house. Skye sat on the second to last porch step, knees pulled to her chest and arms wrapped around them. May carefully sat down on the same step a few inches away. She turned her head to Skye though the other woman refused to look at her. 

“You did a good job.”

Skye didn’t reply. 

May waited another minute, staring out at the bleak night sky before asking, “Are you mad that I scared you?”

“You said you wouldn’t scare me.” Skye’s voice was small, almost lost against the wind. To her horror, May noted a tremble in Skye’s words and caught a sheen of tears in the girl’s eyes. Remorse flooded through her. The last thing she meant to do was make Skye cry. 

She did. “I did. I’m sorry.”

Skye squinted at her. “No, you’re not.” She cast her gaze to the ground again, resting her chin on her knees. “Was bringing me out here just an elaborate prank of yours?”

“I am.” While scaring Skye hadn’t been number one on her agenda, it had certainly been on there. “And no, you did need the training.”

“Sure,” she scoffed. “Next time we’re in a haunted house, it’ll come in handy.”

“You never know.”

They both fell silent until Skye sniffled. Whether it was from the cold or how upset she was earlier, May couldn’t tell. “Are we done?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“I don’t want to ever come back,” Skye said. She turned to look back at the house, noting how a shadow quickly moved away from a crack in the boards covering up the window. “This place is creepy as hell.”

“I don’t know,” May began. “Bringing Phil here might be pretty fun.”

That brought a smile to Skye’s lips. Her eyes no longer glimmered with tears, but the tip of her nose was tinged pink and not from the cold. May’s heart sunk. She hated seeing Skye cry and hated the fact that she was the reason behind her crying even more. 

May placed a hand on Skye’s knee. “I’m sorry.”

Skye shrugged. “It’s fine. I’d probably do the same to you.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“I would.” Skye grinned mischievously. She stood, flashlight in one hand and icer in the other, wavering as she walked backward away from May before breaking out into a run. Her voice drifted back on the wind. “If I get back to the car first, I’m leaving you behind!”

May stood from the porch step, grabbing up her flashlight as she broke into a run after Skye. “In your dreams!”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!


End file.
